Operational Model Checklist

Operational Checklist

When using a variety of inputs, and sources of data to create a Vflo™ model, it is useful to perform sanity checks on the parameters of your model.  This ensures that the model will be more stable, and that it can be used in an Operational Real Time sense.  

General

  • Check that watchpoint names are unique
  • Remove rainfall calibration value
  • Check watch and flood levels for zeros
  • Set flood and watch levels for bopx
  • Document changes/information in the meta included in the bopx
  • Check on the calibration factors for bopx
  • Check Evapotranspiration (ET) is in BOPX
  • Timezone selected in bopx
  • Projection selected in bopx

Hydrology

Review the model parameters in the bop

Soil Parameters

Check

Type

Likely Range

Severity

Soil depth (D)

Range

10 in <= D <= 60 in

2

Wetting Front Suction Head (W)

Range

10 in <= W <= 30 in

2

Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity (K)

Range

0.1 in/hr <= K <= 5 inches/hour

2

For each parameter, are all parameters equal

Boolean

  

2

 

Roughness

Check

Type

Likely Range

Severity

Overland Roughness (O)

Range

0.014 <= O <= 0.3

2

Channel Roughness (C)

Range

0.012 <= C <= 0.09

2

 

Hydraulics

Rating Curves

  • Check latest rating curves from USGS
  • Make sure a valid stage-area relationship exists
  • Make sure a valid stage-discharge relationship exists
  • Adjust rating curve based on baseflow
  • Check default that Vflo uses for stub area-stage and stage -discharge

Cross Sections

  • Make sure cross sections are in the bop
  • Cut cross sections using latest LIDAR
  • Make sure channel slope is set to reasonable values

Trapezoidal Cells

  • Estimate channel width versus drainage area using latest aerial photos.
  • Physical reasonableness of channel width function values
  • Determine if individual reaches should have different relationships.
  • Make sure channel slope is set to reasonable values

Celerity

  • Check for celerity equal to zero for inaccurate channel geometry or channel parameters
  • Check for celerities > 50 ft/s for depth > 10 ft